


A Father's Revenge

by hannelore



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-09
Updated: 2015-07-09
Packaged: 2018-04-08 12:00:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4304178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannelore/pseuds/hannelore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in the time period of the Burning Crusade expansion. Rexxar had his suspicions that Baron Sablemane is more than what he seems to be, but not until there was word that a dragon had killed one of Gruul's sons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Father's Revenge

Spirit landed on the post, something hooked on one talon. Rexxar recognized the signet ring at once.

"I must find him quickly," Rexxar said to Misha as he saddled his wyvern. "Meet us there."

There had been a battle. A gronn had been killed by a black dragon. Then the dragon had changed into a human guise. Rexxar shook his head when Spirit told him these things. He could only assume it was Sablemane, there had been no other of the black dragonflight in Blade's Edge.

When they landed, Rexxar saw a smear of blood in the dirt, leading to the edge of a cliff. The man was lying on his back, naked with his face upturned to the sun. For a moment Rexxar feared he was dead, but as he came closer he saw his chest rising and falling.

"How can their bodies still be whole and untouched?" Sablemane mumured. It took Rexxar a moment to realize Sablemane was looking out toward Dragons' End.

"No carrion bird will touch them," Rexxar said grimly, opening his pack and taking out several small pouches. "I don't know why."

"Revenge... should feel better than this," Sablemane said, groaning in pain as Rexxar tended to his wounds.

"Then it was you?"

"No keeping anything from you, is there?" The man made a feeble attempt at a laugh, but his breathing was too ragged as he fought against the pain. "How did you know?"

"What is your name?"

Rexxar was binding the wounds with several strips of cloth. There was several moments of silence between the two of them.

Sablemane turned his gaze toward the distant cliff, the four black dragons pierced upon the jagged spikes. Now that Misha had arrived, Rexxar told the bear to keep watch in case any ogres were spying about.

"Sabellian. How long have you known?"

Rexxar sat back on his heels, his blood-stained hands resting on his legs. He shrugged.

"I had my suspicions, but nothing confirmed until now. Who did you kill? Spirit said there was..."

"Goc." Sablemane said, grinning in obvious satisfaction. "After aiding you with the death of Gorgrom, it was time for me to claim my own victory."

"But you exposed yourself." Rexxar said angrily. "You had your hand in Gorgrom's death, this is true, but to slay a gronn in your own true form..."

"If you are going to continue to harrass me," Sablemane interrupted, "you could at least help me up."

Rexxar undid his cloak and set it aside. Carefully, he assisted Sablemane into sitting upright. The man groaned and held his arms across his midsection, but bore the pain as best he could while Rexxar helped him stand.

"Hold onto me while I put this around you," Rexxar said, "otherwise you're going to fall."

Sablemane clutched onto the front of Rexxar's tunic while the cloak was draped around his shoulders. He shook his head slowly.

"I might have defeated him in my human guise," he said weakly, "but I wanted to destroy him as myself. But Goc's not enough... it's Gruul that I want dead."

"You're fool enough for killing Goc, let alone..."

"A fool?" Sablemane exclaimed. He tried to push off from Rexxar but only managed to fall at his feet. Rexxar reached down to help him up again, but the man shoved him away. "How can you even say that?"

"Gruul will know it was you!" Rexxar said, exasperated. Sablemane's struggling was causing some of the bandages to come loose. "Stop this, I need to bring you back to your home. We'll be found here."

"Let him know!" Sablemane roared. "I told Goc who was about to kill him. I want Gruul to know!"

"Fine," Rexxar stood up. "Drag yourself to his lair and call out your name. But I warn you, Gruul was given his name for good reason and you will be killed."

Dragonkiller.

Rexxar began to gather his things and stuff them back into his pack. He avoided looking at Sablemane on purpose, but as he stood back up to leave he could not help look. The man was hunched over, clutching Rexxar's cloak around him and staring at the ground. Rexxar looked out toward Dragons' End. He had not realized that Sablemane must have looked to those deadly cliffs day after day.

"Sabellian."

"No one has called me by my name for many years." Sablemane said dully. "I would prefer it be kept that way as long as I am... not who I am."

"Gruul will not know your name," Rexxar answered. "For now, let it be. As a friend, Sablemane, I beg you. Let it be."

Sablemane looked up at Rexxar with a sad smile.

"At least Goc will never bring forth any gronn into this world."

"Gruul's sons never did," Rexxar said carefully, almost unwilling to speak of this to Sablemane. "I think that is for Gruul and Gruul alone."

Sablemane snorted. "And with whom would he mate? His sons?"

"No." Rexxar left it at that, but Sablemane's questioning gaze seemed to press him further. "Some of the elder Mok'Thanal speak of stories."

"But that's physically impossible."

"Like I said." Rexxar said. "They're stories."

"Someone will kill Gruul." Sablemane said, glancing out into the distance once more. "Some day."

"Many are going to suffer because of your thirst for revenge. Gruul will kill many ogres today in his rage."

"Let him kill ogres," Sablemane snorted, "The fewer, the better."

"You do not understand." Rexxar said, cinching his pack closed. "With his sons in the world, he is content to let his sons abuse and use the ogres for their use. With each son killed..."

"Then maybe at last he will recognize a father's pain," Sablemane snapped.

"You think he grieves as you do?" Rexxar said. "His sons are mere landmarks to him, they only serve him to abuse those around them into submission. He will seek to replace these missing pillars or he will emerge from his lair."

"What are you saying?" Sablemane said. "I should have let Goc live?"

"You yourself just said they are more interested in ogres." Rexxar said, impatient. "They do not seek out any of the dragonflight, just those unfortunate enough to come into their territory. But now you have diverted their attention to a different prey altogether."

"I can't believe you're reprimanding me for ridding Blade's Edge of that monster," Sablemane glowered.

"He was a necessary monster." Rexxar said. "I'm sorry, but it's true."

"This is ridiculous." Sablemane muttered, looking around as if seeking some way to get up. "I don't know why I bothered to summon you."

"Perhaps because instead of bleeding into the dust, you still live?"

"I would have... might have made it back."

Rexxar shrugged. He was tired of arguing with Sablemane and his head was now pounding with worry of these new concerns. Thunderlord Stronghold was not far from Gruul's Lair.

"All right." Sablemane said. "I would have died. There you go, now can you help me back?"

Rexxar reached out his hand and helped Sablemane stand up. The man still winced at having to move, but he stood a bit more steadily now.

Rexxar whistled for Leokk and the wyvern knelt low enough for Sablemane to climb aboard.

"I will walk with Misha and meet you back at your quarters?"

Sablemane nodded, gripping the reins of the wyvern as the beast flew upward. Rexxar was glad for the undisturbed walk back to Sablemane's home. Perhaps the man was right; the culling of Gorgrom and Goc could mean less gronn in Outlands. But he was not convinced.

When he reached the edge of the Circle of Blood arena, Rexxar saw Leokk outside with Sablemane nowhere to be seen. Rexxar left Misha outside as he went in. He found Sablemane in his bedroom, collapsed on the bed with Rexxar's cloak still around him. Rexxar stood in the door for a moment, uncertain of what to do or say.

"I am sorry for the death of your children." Rexxar said at last. "I didn't know they were yours."

There was no response, but Sablemane's head moved slightly, perhaps in a nod. Rexxar wanted to reassure Sablemane that something would be done... someday. But when and how? Rexxar had no idea.

Sabellian. Rexxar would only speak this name to himself, out of respect for the old dragon. There was a strange sense of regret that he had not seen the dragon resplendent in his form. He wondered if Sabellian regretted having to revert back to his human guise. But this was not the appropriate time to inquire. If ever.

Rexxar left without another word. There was no need for Rexxar to tell Sabellian that he would check in tomorrow, that he would bring him meat and drink, more salve for his wounds. He knew the dragon would know. Those thoughts, in the light of the day's slaughter, brought him comfort.


End file.
